was RNase L, NK testing- general thoughts on Mainsteam Medicine

[Guest guest]

Hi and Kathleen,

I really don't want to enter this conversation because I have no first hand

knowledge of FFC's but I did have a few general thoughts on some of what

has written (which are not directed at Kathleen or or Sara),

just general thoughts - see below at the ***.

>

> I'm a total believer in what has already been written that if you let go of

the idea that mainstream medicine like your PCP should/would/could cure you,

have an answer, know everything, about this illness things get so much easier.

So such energy is been spend on the notion that physicians can't or won't help

you and be angry about that.

***Yes! I totally agree! My sister is a case in point. She refuses to let go

of toxic doctors but she insists that she will vindicate herself by continuing

to go to them and they will find the issues wrong with her. Utter nonsense and

I have stopped wasting MY energy to try to get her to see that PCP's or GP's do

not have the tools or resources to find her issues. Even ND or DO's have limits

in that no one knows YET what causes this illness.

>

> I'm not sure about the way things are being done in the US, I know that in the

country where I grew up it's normal practice that if your family physician does

not know the answer or comes across something he has no expertise in he sends

you to someone who does. Is that not happening here in the US? I always wondered

why so many people keep going to their PCP if that doesn't bring the results you

are looking for.

***In the US, some insurance companies require a referral from a PCP before you

can get into a specialist. You have no choice. If the PCP does not feel that

you need to see a neurologist, you will never get in to see a neurologist.

Period. You may have to visit 10 PCP's before you get one that will let you see

a neurologist - begrudgingly! Very difficult to move past that UNLESS you just

decide that you have to pay for the medical care out of pocket. Then the world

opens up. Still difficult to find a doctor - it disturbs me that people in

other countries feel that the US has all the answers. I have not found that to

be true. It is very difficult to get help here unless you pay for it out of

pocket. I suppose the difference is that there are no ND's in other countries.

But some ND's will work as a consultant for people in other countries so there

really is no difference because I am not well enough to travel 3 hours so I

might as well be thousands of miles away.

> You ask in your message; How are you to know that beforehand that a physician

is a good doctor. Well, by checking him out before you spend your hard earned

cash on him and trust him with your health! Every physician I am seeing I check

out first, have there been filed complaints against him? Has he been

reprimanded, how does he rank on the review boards, is he the person who he

claims he is etc. It's my responsibility to make sure I know all there is to

know about this person before I see him. Isn't it strange that we use review

boards like Angies List to check out plumbers etc. to see if they are legit but

do not check out physicians who we trust with the most valuable thing, our

health?

*** This is an excellent point. When I was ill the first time, I had the energy

to do this. I tried to interview doctors but was never able to do that. I was

able to interview Office Managers now and again and basically I asked if they

offered testing through Genova Diagnostics (at that time it was Great Smokies)

or Doctor's Data. That let me know they were familiar with alternative testing.

Another method I have used is to talk to the compounding pharmacies in my area

to find out which doctors are prescribing the particular medication that I was

interested in - for example, when I wanted to start glutathione injections, I

found out which doctors were sending those prescriptions in.

***Now, I believe that I am too ill to go through all of that. Since my copay

is so small, I just go to an appt and try them out. Very bad way to do it, I

know. I schedule two appts on the same day in the same building so at least I

know one is a good one (with a doc I already know). Still makes for a lot of

frustration. But too brain fogged to do much more. Asking for good doctors on

the list would be helpful to some degree. I have wondered if we should do a

good doctors list here.

>

> don't forget that ALL clinics, hospitals, private practices are based on a

business model. Health care is a business not a charity.

***YES! Totally agree! I learned that doctors in alternative medicine get

kickbacks from every blood test they order. Then by exploring that to learn

more (because I was appalled) I learned that mainstream docs get the same perk.

In some places, it is a 30% kickback. All doctors offices are based on a

business model. Yes. Yes. Yes.

>> That's why we end up at the FFC because they don't have to stick to the 10

minutes visits and are not required to stick to the rules and regulations

insurance companies lay upon them.

***I cannot afford the FFC but I do try to find independent doctors that have

their own practices. They still have to follow insurance regulations (if they

are mainstream - less so if they are integrative and not at all if they are

alternative but of course, then you have to pay).

> Just my 2 cents.

> Chrisine

> Portland, OR

***I find that I use mainstream for the basic tests. I do have a great PCP and

she knows more than some specialists. Praise the Lord! I also have a

functional medicine doctor who works with me to order tests through insurance

(by going through my PCP) and then I pay her and specialty testing out of

pocket. I also find that I prefer integrative or alternative, ND's or DO's and I

prefer doctors who are trained in other countries. I also prefer women doctors

but I have had some bad females too!

Just my 2 cents too.

Marti